The Non-Tutorial Workers Union of Academic and Related Establishments (NASU) condemns WAEC’s continued victimisation of employees and its refusal to abide by a legally binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) executed on tenth March, 2025, on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja.
Talking on the event, the Basic Secretary, Non-Tutorial Workers Union of Academic and Related Establishments (NASU), Prince Peters Adeyemi, mentioned there may be pressing want to deal with a crucial concern of labour injustice and blatant suppression of commerce unionism by the Administration of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
“In 2023, the Federal Authorities paid federal employees N35,000.00 throughout board for six months as palliative in view of the tough financial state of affairs within the nation. WAEC Administration arrange a Committee made up of Administration representatives and Union representatives to suggest what WAEC ought to do.
“The Committee really helpful that WAEC ought to pay N30,000.00 month-to-month throughout board for six months. Sadly, the Head of the Nationwide Workplace (HNO), who’s the Chief Government Officer of WAEC in Nigeria, unilaterally went forward to pay N25,000 throughout board for 3 months. The Administration of WAEC solely agreed to pay the N30,000.00 really helpful by the Committee on the final day of the 7-days ultimatum given to WAEC Administration.”
Adeyemi, mentioned that the Administration of WAEC arrange a Wage Assessment Committee comprising the Administration of WAEC and the 2 Unions, i.e., NASU and SSA. The Committee really helpful a 30% increment however the Administration carried out a 25% increment as towards the Committee’s suggestion. This led to NASU members embarking on strike motion that lasted 4-days- Monday, 9 to Thursday, 12 December, 2024.
The strike was suspended after an settlement was reached by the Administration and NASU to implement a 27.5% increment on workers wage.
In response to NASU’s allegations, WAEC Administration on sixteenth January, 2025, issued an Inner Memo (Ref No. L/GAD/26/235), ordering the stoppage of NASU check-off dues.
The Council mentioned that the motion was perceived by NASU as an act of victimisation towards NASU members for embarking on a lawful strike.
Highlighting the important thing points NASU is accusing WAEC for, mentioned that on tenth March, 2025, NASU and WAEC reached an settlement facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as a comply with as much as a Commerce Dispute filed towards the Administration of WAEC with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Additionally, the settlement mandated WAEC to right away resume deduction and remittance of check-off dues for NASU members.
Nonetheless, WAEC, by means of its inside memorandum of 14th March, 2025, is intentionally violating this settlement by imposing an pointless requirement for particular person consent, which was not a part of the MoU.
The Union pointed to the Violation of Labour Legal guidelines and Commerce Union Rights. That’s, WAEC’s refusal to remit check-off dues violates Part 5(3)(a) of the Labour Act, which states that after a commerce union is registered and recognised, employers should deduct and remit dues with out requiring extra consent.
NASU mentioned that this motion additionally contravenes Nigeria’s Commerce Union Act, in addition to ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which assure employees’ rights to freely affiliate and cut price collectively. On the victimization and intimidation of employees, NASU officers at WAEC Yaba have been intentionally sidelined, with Administration refusing to have interaction with them.
NASU additionally accused WAEC of planning to switch NASU department leaders as a retaliatory measure to weaken the Union within the Council, stressing that it is a clear case of victimization towards employees for exercising their constitutional proper to belong to a commerce union and an tried to undermine NASU.
The Union mentioned WAEC seeks to cripple NASU financially and weaken its potential to characterize employees by stopping check-off dues.
Based on NASU, WAEC’s memo was not even copied to NASU officers, however as a substitute positioned on discover boards, a transfer that reveals deliberate exclusion and dangerous religion.
Nonetheless, WAEC has proven complete disregard for the reconciliation course of and continues its anti-union actions regardless of reaching a settlement.
